diff --git a/gnu/packages/glib.scm b/gnu/packages/glib.scm
index 3190ea5da1..15031179ff 100644
--- a/gnu/packages/glib.scm
+++ b/gnu/packages/glib.scm
@@ -34,7 +34,8 @@ (define-module (gnu packages glib)
   #:use-module (gnu packages pkg-config)
   #:use-module (gnu packages python)
   #:use-module (gnu packages xml)
-  #:use-module (gnu packages bash))
+  #:use-module (gnu packages bash)
+  #:use-module (gnu packages file))
 
 (define-public dbus
   (package
@@ -162,6 +163,9 @@ (define-public intltool
        ;; the `intltool-update' script.
        ("gettext" ,guix:gettext)
 
+       ;; `file' is used by `intltool-update' too.
+       ("file" ,file)
+
        ("perl-xml-parser" ,perl-xml-parser)
        ("perl" ,perl)))
     (home-page "https://launchpad.net/intltool/+download")